Belle Vue 2016

[Coventry_Bee]

It's got speedway in the news anyway !! When considering if the meeting had gone ahead as planned there wouldn't have been a sniff in the papers/radio etc, but as it went titts up everybody's on the band wagon.

 

I do feel Belle Vue did let fans in knowing they were going to try and wing it, the track wasn't fit and they knew it so even though they think just the fence was there remit I think they are digging further into people's frustrations at what went on. The track should have had a behind closed doors meeting/practice as they did at Cardiff last year.

 

On the plus side it looks one hell of a stadium and once the initial problems that all new stadiums have them I think people will soon forget this unfortunate state they are in today. I just hope If and when Coventry move then they have this firmly in there minds as not to repeat it. Like I said cracking stadium and best of luck to the Aces with our bees legend Scotty leading the charge.

Edited March 21, 2016 by Coventry_Bee

[Tsunami]

I don't know that Meredith didn't work on the track after Wednesday. I do know that people were working on it on Thursday morning but I couldn't specifically say if Colin was one of them.

 

Now how about an answer to your claim that they are advised not to hold the meeting?

 

As for taking sides I think the wisest course would be for all of us to wait until all the facts are known but what is clear is that the BSPA have shown their lack of judgement by public condemming the club without being in possession of all of the facts and then expecting anyone to believe they can carry out an impartial investigation.

He wasn't and neither was the Doc.

 

Of course I am going to put on here one or more of the people who did. Wait and see, but don't try and deny it never happened.

 

Are you seriously trying to say that the BSPA don't know what happened all last week.

[R87]

I still think that track looked ok.

 

On Saturday through a cider haze it seemed a disaster... . . But in the cold light of day, we still have super new stadium rather than the dog track. We have a track that looked so wide as to encourage great racing, and this is just one more setback that these people have had to deal with. They've got through worse than this, and next week, or the week after, great speedway will take place in Manchester in modern facilities.

 

It seems criticism comes with a sense of glee from certain quarters. Some of the reactions are way over the top

I think when people have forked out so much money to attend the most publicised speedway event in this country since Cardiff in 2001, only to not see what happened, then they're entitled to be a bit miffed.

 

The promotion screwed up by allowing people in to the stadium even though there were doubts about the track. The same promotion team who have a track record when it comes to dropping clangers.

[Aces51]

If the statement was framed that way for legal reasons they made a hopeless job of it. Look at the way it's worded; its links a tabloid newspaper. It talks about "furious " David Gordon who "hit back " at critics and they were "locked in " discussions. Those sort of expressions might sell extra copies of the Sun or Daily Star but I can assure you they won't cut any ice before a court.

If it was it was done with legal claims in mind it should have been on the lines of :-

"On behalf of Belle Vue Speedwáy we would like to acknowledge the loyal fans who came to support the opening night of our National a Speedway Stsdium . We are very sorry and deeply regret that the opening night was not the great occasion we had all hoped and of course we pay tribute to, and apologise to the many fans that were disappointed.

For legal reasons we cannot give full information at this stage but inquiries are being undertaken and it is Belle Vue Speedways contention that the fault lay with a contractor. Our investigations are continuing but we will keep our fans and supporters fully updated as the full information unfolds. In the meantime we thank you all for your patience and will be advising on refunds within the next few days"

There, how does that sound ? It protects the legal position and thanks fans at the same time , plus it's something I have just done off the top of my head. With a bit of thought Gordon and/or a proper press officer could hav e improv ed on it without shooting themselves in the foot .

Is that reasonable ?

I agree that a more conciliatory opening paragraph would have been better and your version certainly would protect their legal position. However, I think they were right, providing they can support what they say, to give more detail of the history, respective responsibilities of those involved, why they cannot immediately deal with refunds, that the source of the problem is now known and that remedial work has started.

He wasn't and neither was the Doc.

 

Of course I am going to put on here one or more of the people who did. Wait and see, but don't try and deny it never happened.

 

Are you seriously trying to say that the BSPA don't know what happened all last week.

When have I denied it happened, don't make things up. I have no knowledge of it happening, you are the only person who has mentioned it so it is perfectly reasonable to ask for details about so important an allegation.

 

As for the BSPA,reading their statement and what David Gordon has said it would seem that they don't know all of the facts. I also take account of the hypocrisy of their comments when no similar action has been taken over similar incidents, some of them in shared BSPA events.

[New Science]

There have been several cock ups, from several clubs, over several years of this sports history and on several occasions has been handled insufficiently by you know who.

 

However non have been made an example of like BV, on this occasion and on hosegate.

 

I appreciate your reply, but after years of reading your comments surrounding BV speedway on here I'm of the opinion that you have some type of issue with us. Of course that's your entitlement, but from my end I'm going to leave it here.

 

Cheers.

Is it me but it seems 95 % of people defending the Belle Vue management are Belle Vue fans !

[orion]

Why did someone advise Gordon not to run the meeting, was it that the track might not be very good or dangerous?

 

If it's the latter it's a bit like a drunk still driving his car after someone has told him not to, isn't it?

Your correct it is ...and it had the same kind of result ..a car wreck

Edited March 21, 2016 by orion

[New Science]

I still think that track looked ok.

 

On Saturday through a cider haze it seemed a disaster... . . But in the cold light of day, we still have super new stadium rather than the dog track. We have a track that looked so wide as to encourage great racing, and this is just one more setback that these people have had to deal with. They've got through worse than this, and next week, or the week after, great speedway will take place in Manchester in modern facilities.

 

It seems criticism comes with a sense of glee from certain quarters. Some of the reactions are way over the top

Personally its very hard to bathe in your positives when people have travelled hundreds of miles,spend fortunes on petrol,hotels,tickets to see the worlds best at a new stadium and end up with absolutely nothing except disappointment,frustration and anger.

The criticism that comes Belle Vue's way is entirely justified.

[keepturningleft]

It's got speedway in the news anyway !! When considering if the meeting had gone ahead as planned there wouldn't have been a sniff in the papers/radio etc, but as it went titts up everybody's on the band wagon.

 

 

 

 

Ironic isn't it! No such thing as bad publicity and all that.

Just consider how many people are now are of The National Speedway Stadium who wouldn't have been before.

Bizarrely, it might even boost crowds by curious first timers!

[waiheke1]

They said it as a joke or are you really that stupid!!

If you need to ask, you clearly have not met starman.

[orion]

I hope you are wrong again!

 

 

How can I be wrong ? the car crash has already happened on sat night .

Edited March 22, 2016 by orion

[BWitcher]

How can I be wrong ? the car crash has already happen on sat night .

 

Drop a Cog is once again trying to be clever by twisting peoples words.

 

It's all he can offer really as his promotion have yet again royally ****** something up and haven't even had the decency to apologise.

 

Although they have, as said, royally ****** up I did have sympathy for messrs Gordon/Morton given the time and effort put into this project so far. That sympathy was wiped away to a great extent by the statement they have subsequently issued.

 

It seems that all fixtures are to be cancelled for the next month now anyway. Wolves and Cradley are aware but they (Belle Vue) aren't going to officially announce it till Wednesday.. again, why bother telling fans earlier! Who cares about their Good Friday plans!

Edited March 22, 2016 by BWitcher

[waiheke1]

The only logical reason would be if there are penalty clauses enforceable on sub-cons if track is not ready by "x" date and therefore by officially cancelling at this stage they would be voiding such claims?

Agree the whole thing could barely have been handled any worse. Absolutely gutting on so many levels.

[Daniel Smith]

When have I denied it happened, don't make things up. I have no knowledge of it happening, you are the only person who has mentioned it so it is perfectly reasonable to ask for details about so important an allegation.

As for the BSPA,reading their statement and what David Gordon has said it would seem that they don't know all of the facts. I also take account of the hypocrisy of their comments when no similar action has been taken over similar incidents, some of them in shared BSPA events.

I don't think the BSPA need to know the "in's & out's" of what the contractors have our haven't done. Their investigation will be about the Belle Vue promotions du diligence.

 

The Belle Vue promotion hold the responsible of opening the turnstiles to the public in the knowledge that everything is fit & proper.

 

It's widely reported that everything wasn't in order with the track but still made the choice to open the turnstiles and get rider's and punter's in.

 

All Belle Vue's responsibility. To the BSPA that's all that matters, & rightly so. The contractors are totally irrelevant.

[PHILIPRISING]

QUITE obviously the BV management thought the track was okay for the meeting to go ahead. Of all the scenarios what actually happened is by far the worse.

 

Postponing it even the day before or the morning of would have been a major embarrassment and caused huge inconvenience but nothing on the scale of what actually happened. The consequences are far reaching and mistakes were made but, as in Warsaw last year, the gates were opened because the promoters genuinely believed the meeting would go ahead.

 

Plainly the track should have undergone a more rigorous test by more that two riders, who apparently had differing views, one saying that he rode it flat out and it was fine. And it also appeared that way at the start of the pre-meeting practice and the problems on turns three and four became more apparent as more riders went through the same areas.

 

I did wonder whether it was suggested to the riders that if the offending areas, around the white line, were conned off that, given how wide and banked the corners are, there would still have been sufficient racing room.

 

Some of those commenting here and elsewhere seem to be under the impression that the whole racing surface was wrong. It isn't. Probably less than 10 per cent of a huge track that promises to be as good as any racing strip in the world given it's width, long straights and banked corners.

 

The obvious question that should be asked, and I understand has been asked, is why just such a small portion hadn't bedded in despite the poor weather when the rest of the track had done so.

 

I fully understand the frustration of those who attended. Okay, I was an invited guest along with two MPs, the Lord Mayor of Manchester and a host of other dignitaries, and didn't pay for my seat but did incur other financial outlays and the embarrassment of speedway once again shooting itself in the foot when the spotlight, so rarely attained these days, was firmly on it.

 

But, I reiterate, the National Speedway Stadium is a magnificent achievement, blighted on Saturday, but nonetheless a stadium of which all of us involved in the sport at whatever level can look upon with pride.

[bellevueace]

The BSPA would have reaped the benefit if things had not gone pear shaped but were quick to distance themselves from any negativity, they issued a statement without first gaining all the facts hanging one of their members out to dry. Belle Vue in return issued their own twit for tat statement to defend themselves and all both bodies have done is make matters worse. If there were any doubts whatsoever the meeting should have been called off early enough to stop anyone from travelling, Considering its a new build im sure most people would have understood and appreciated being saved a wasted journey. Whats happened cant be undone, it was a bad day for the club and the sport, the only thing now is to recompense fans even though those that travelled still lose out sadly, sort out the 3/4 bends and set about giving the sport nationwide some good publicity.

Edited March 22, 2016 by bellevueace

[Aces51]

Hasn't the situation now changed completely. From what I have seen all of the comments from riders and on this forum revolve around the lateness of laying bends 3 and 4, the weather and the track needing more time to settle. It also seems that whatever advice was or wasn't given to the promotion was on that premise.

 

We now know none of that is the problem, the problem is with the sub base, so no amount of time allowed for the track to dry out or settle would make any difference. If the meeting had been postponed for a week or more the track would appear to be ok but because the underlying problem hadn't been repaired would have again cut up when it was tested.

 

I have no doubt that the promotion believed the track was ok using both their experience and having carried out the practice session on the Friday. As Philip Rising has said, the initial laps of the practice on Saturday also gave the impression that everything was OK, you can see that from the short Clean Cut video. I cannot believe that the riders would have gone through a charade of the parade and opening ceremony if they believed it was then going to be abandoned, nor do I believe would the promotion.

 

If there is anything good to come out of Saturday perhaps it is that it has resulted in those bends being dug up and the problem being identified.

Edited March 22, 2016 by Aces51

[geoff 100]

after watching the footage on youtube u have to ask what was the problem if those superstars cant ride a track like that heaven help the sport,forget cardiff aint going to waste money on them will stay at home and watch on tv.

[Grand Central]

Philip Rising's post above is no doubt a reasonable view of where we stand.
And there is no doubt that rather than being a guest of the management his skills would have been much better employed actually handing the PR side for DG and CM. They need someone in that department desparately.

The single fact that I am most surprised about is that revealed about the track.
We now learn that all the meticulous plans going back years had at the heart this rather bizarre element.
That the Speedway track was going to be totally constructed and prepared for opening night by contractors who have nothing to do with a Speedway at all.

An English international of vast experience is a promoter and an SCB track inspector is the usual track curator.
But they were NEVER going to lay the track.

At least in Warsaw the track only went wrong after a genuine expert had tried his best to get it right.

Here is was being done by Paddy Murphy and his gang.

We were really very lucky that they got so much of it right, weren't we?

Edited March 22, 2016 by Grand Central

[BWitcher]

I don't know who has rattled your cage again but the point is people are posting stuff which just doesn't make sense.

 

First of all someone said the management blamed the riders at the track, they didn't! Then, after a brief discussion of the facts the barmpot suggested it was said where nobody could hear it??

 

Then someone said the riders knew the track was unsafe before the meeting but soon backtracked when it was pointed out that they were as guilty as the promotion for cheating the public then as they went through the charade of putting on a meeting that was never going to happen.

 

Now we've got someone claiming the management were told not to run the meeting but didn't bother to let anyone else know about the disaster that was going to happen. It sounds like another crazy made up story! If it is actually true then the 'someone' either has no credibility and was ignored or does have credibility but either way chose to not bother using social media to 'leak' the issue which could have saved thousands of people a wasted Saturday, but who cares about their weekend plans anyway?

 

Yawn.

 

You're amusing (to you) little trick of using multiple accounts is old and tiresome now Wibble/Fred Flange/Drop a Cog.

 

As are your pathetic attempts to defend an indefensible position, it just simply makes you look a bigger fool than everyone already thinks.

 

Sorry for joining in with the #barmpotfantasy type of posts but if you can't beat 'em join 'em!

 

You joined that club a long time ago

[Hamish McRaker]

Philip Rising's post above is no doubt a reasonable view of where we stand.

And there is no doubt that rather than being a guest of the management his skills would have been much better employed actually handing the PR side for DG and CM. They need someone in that department desparately.

 

The single fact that I am most surprised about is that revealed about the track.

We now learn that all the meticulous plans going back years had at the heart this rather bizarre element.

That the Soeedway track was going to be totally constructed and prepared for opening night by contractors who have nothing to do with a Speedway at all.

 

An English international of vast experience is a promoter and an SCB track inspector is the usual track curator.

But they were NEVER going to lay the track.

 

At least in Warsaw the track only went wrong after a genuine expert had tried his best to get it right.

 

Here is was being done by Paddy Murphy and his gang.

 

We were really very lucky that they got so much if it right, weren't we?

Yes, and the fence was considered to be a job requiring specialist expertise (quite rightly) and therefore not done by the contractors. Those installing the fence, whenever it was done, were also "experts" about tracks I think, and therefore you would think they would have had a very good opportunity to raise their concerns!

It would be interesting to know if the contractors (aka "Paddy Murphy") themselves used the services of experienced track curators in doing the job. I can hardly believe they would not have done. And if so, what was the nature of their relationship with those people, and how good were they?

Presumably the nature of the contract with the contractors precluded Belle Vue from having direct input until very late-on in proceedings. And left them in a terrible dilemma, and produced a disastrous outcome.

So it looks as if this may end up being dealt with in court, meanwhile the poor sods who spent money on travel, accommodation and tickets are left dangling.